Archive for September, 2010

Specific prevention and education strategies are needed to address breast cancer in Mexican-origin women in this country, according to a study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which was published online in the journal.

At the June 2010 SNMA National Leadership Institute the keynote speaker, Dr. Edward Cornwell III, suggested that violence be considered as the top public health issue. Traditionally, public health is thought of in terms of obesity, cancer prevention and environmental health. However, the scope of modern public health has far exceeded its early beginnings of water sanitation, waste removal and vaccinations.

Scholarly articles on the topic of cultural competence commonly cite three realities (Betancourt, Green, Carrillo & Park, 2005). First, the population of the United States is rapidly becoming more diverse in its racial and ethnic demography (U.S. Census Bureau, 2009). Second, significant disparities exist between racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. population (Smedley, 2002). Finally, in order to prevent these disparities from worsening and to eventually eliminate health disparities, it is necessary to develop a more diverse and culturally competent health care workforce and delivery system (Smedley, 2004). While the rationale behind efforts to promote cultural competence is relatively straightforward, the number of studies that report quantifiable outcomes for such interventions is limited. The growing body of evidence suggests, however, that culturally competent interventions implemented at multiple levels of the health care system can be effective in improving health outcomes in minority populations.

What was done cannot be undone, but we can end the silence … We cannot be one America when a whole segment of our nation has no trust in America. We can stop turning our heads away. We can look at you in the eye, and finally say, on behalf of the American people, what the United States government did was shameful and I am sorry. (Clinton, 1997)

Andrew Hillman is an ambitious and passionate MAPS members from Region IX. He currently serves as president of the MAPS Chapter at Queen’s College. This summer he was afforded the opportunity to journey to Thailand and amassed a new perspective on the world and his position within it. As an aspiring physician of color, Andrew recognizes the need for cultural competency and his trip to Thailand allowed him to work towards addressing that need.

When HIV was first recognized in 1981, the face of AIDS was the gay Caucasian male, stigmatizing the gay community as the carriers of this debilitating disease. Over the years, HIV/AIDS has affected everyone from I.V. drug users to babies experiencing their first breaths of life. Recent attention has been given to the increased incidence of HIV/AIDS in the MSM (men who have sex with men) population, a unique challenge compounded by issues already affecting the African-American male in today’s society. However, a new face has emerged alongside the MSM – the heterosexual African-American woman. According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), AIDS (and its related health conditions) is currently the leading cause of death in African-American women age 25-34. African-American women in the U.S. are diagnosed at a rate of nineteen times that of their white counterparts.

Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at seventeen years of age, Sister Anne Brooks D.O. was told that she would be confined to a sedentary life of pain, and back braces. She spent the next seventeen years as a wheelchair bound teacher and was put on several medications and admitted into an arthritic hospital. After refusing to accept her debilitating condition, she signed up to volunteer at a free clinic in Florida, and it was there that she met John Upledger, D.O. He offered her acupuncture treatments, helped her change her diet, and referred her to an osteopathic neurosurgeon who would perform a procedure called manipulation under anesthesia. It is because of the help of Dr. Upledger that she has been able to live successfully with rheumatoid arthritis and maintain a normal lifestyle, pain free! Several years later, his impact in her life would inspire her to become a physician as well. “Osteopathic Medicine offered more alternatives in treating that proved very helpful for me.” said Sister Anne. Now 72 years old, Sister Anne, is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine where she obtained her doctorate at the age of 44. However, before she decided to attend medical school, she wanted to make sure that she was pursuing medicine with the correct intentions.

Dr. Lisa F. Waddell is the first African American and the first woman to hold the position of Deputy Commissioner for Health Services for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). A preventive medicine and public health board certified physician, Dr. Waddell received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia (currently known as Virginia Commonwealth University), and her Master of Public Health Degree with a concentration in Health Policy and Administration from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health. She also participated in the Centers for Disease Control National Public Health Leadership Institute.

There’s a lot to explore within the Circle City. Upon flying into the city, you’ll be impressed by the ease of airport navigation, check-in/baggage delivery, security check, and terminal facilities at the number one ranked small international airport by J.D. Power Associates in the 2010 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Within walking distance of the hotels in the downtown area, you’ll find plenty to do and see no matter your budget. Convenient local site attractions include the Indianapolis Zoo (rated in the top ten zoo list by TripAdvisor in 2008), the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indiana and Western Art, and the oldest surviving pathology facility in the nation, the Indiana Medical History Museum. Downtown dining offers a diverse range of food choices from traditional American steakhouses to the more exotic flavors of Asian, Indian, Greek, Italian and Spanish cuisines. If you’re in the mood for some local flavor, visit Maxine’s Chicken and Waffles for an array of soul food entrees. For those wanting to shop, the Circle Centre Mall has you covered with its anchor stores Nordstrom and Carson Pirie Scott along with four stories of fantastic shopping. If you’re looking for the higher end retail stores, go no further than Indianapolis’ Fashion Mall at Keystone to find such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue, Banana Republic, Burberry, Cole Haan, and BCBG. For an overall good time with games and food in one spot, consider Jillian’s Billiards Club which offers bowling, pool, arcade games, great food, and music. Downtown nightlife is diverse and includes pubs, cafes, taverns, upscale ultra-lounges, and cigar bars to name a few.

It was a cold December night in 1773. The British had proposed a tax on tea and the colonists were outraged. Taxes, which were viewed by the British as a means of revenue, had become symbols of oppression to the colonists. As such, the Tea Tax Act became a tipping point that culminated in the Revolutionary War. When three large ships loaded with imported British tea arrived on the docks in Boston, outraged citizens dumped the ships’ cargo into the harbor in protest – an event that became known as the Boston Tea Party.